


Lumineer

by goshinote



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Based on the "Cleopatra" album by The Lumineers, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29723424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goshinote/pseuds/goshinote
Summary: This is a story of being in love, of grief, of having regrets, and of trying to right past mistakes. Based on “The Ballad of Cleopatra” album mini-film by The Lumineers.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Lumineer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LostInFantasyWorlds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInFantasyWorlds/gifts).



> This whole story was inspired by the song “Sleep on the Floor” by The Lumineers as well as a conversation I had with lostinfantasyworlds about road trips and traveling lol. It was going to be a multi-chapter story of super short chapters, but then I just decided to make it a one-shot with little notes on when the song has changed.
> 
> What started as just being based on “Sleep on the Floor” turned into a reflection of “The Ballad of Cleopatra,” which is the mini-movie inspired by the “Cleopatra” album by The Lumineers. I don’t think you necessarily need to watch it to understand this story but it’s an incredibly emotional and beautiful short film. Like...so beautiful. So you should still watch it.
> 
> The ending to the mini-film is rather sad, so I’ve changed it in this story. It’s still got a lot of angst but the ending is a bittersweet kind of happy.
> 
> I’m also gifting this story to lostinfantastyworlds. Taryn, you’ve become such an amazing friend and you’re an incredible writer. Thanks for looking over my chaotic story ideas and always being “askldfjasdl” with me. You’re so talented and every kind word from you means so much to me. I love swapping music and bonding over old punk tunes. Emo gals unite <3 You're wonderful!

****

**Part I: Ophelia**

The young man stood at the edge of the sidewalk as the Uber he’d ordered parked in front of him.

An older woman, probably in her mid-fifties, waved at him through the window before he got in the backseat.

“Good morning,” the woman said. “Are you Daiki?” Her voice was filled with a kindness so sincere the young man was nearly stunned into silence. 

He smiled. “I am. Are you Cleopatra?” An interesting name, but it’s what was listed on her Uber profile.

“Indeed,” she replied warmly as she pulled out into the road again. “How are you so far today?”

“I’m doing well,” Daiki said. “How are you?”

“I’m just fine. What brings you to our little town?”

He looked out the window, admiring the old buildings and quaint vibe.

“I’m visiting my uncle,” he replied. “He’s getting married tomorrow.”

Cleopatra smiled at him in the rearview mirror. “That’s lovely. I hope you have a wonderful time.”

“Thank you,” he said.

They fell into a conversation, with the driver mentioning some good spots to visit around the town. It was small, but there were quaint shops and unique diners.

When they reached the hotel where Daiki was staying, the driver pulled up in front and parked.

“Thank you so much, Cleopatra,” he said as he gathered his things. “I really appreciate it.”

She gave him a parting smile. “You’re very welcome. Have a nice rest of your day.”

He nodded and got out. “Bye.”

He closed the door and began walking toward the door before waving at the driver a final time.

She smiled and drove off.

Daiki couldn’t help but watch the car as it drove off.

There was something...special about the woman. There was an odd wisdom and kindness in her blue-gray eyes, and Daiki knew it would stick with him.

He adjusted the bag on his shoulder and entered the hotel.

* * *

**Part II: Cleopatra**

Kagome glanced at the young man a final time as she drove off.

She smiled to herself.

_Who would’ve thought I’d be Daiki’s driver today? I’ll bet he didn’t even know who I was._

Her day was filled with driving as usual, making her way to and from the nearby airport into the small town as well as the closest larger cities. 

Kagome loved being an Uber driver. At fifty-six-years-old, she enjoyed meeting those who were enjoying their youths. She took on a fake name, Cleopatra, just to add a little mystery to her life. 

She saw young couples, young single people in tears after bad break-ups, and quiet people who just gave her a small smile and were quiet during their drive.

They reminded her of when she was young.

She could almost see herself crying in the backseat, being young and in love, being quiet as she tried to find herself in the world.

But now there was a simplicity throughout her days, one she welcomed. 

She remembered the simplicity of her own youth, and the darkness that also came with it…

o.O.o

Kagome wrapped her arms around Inuyasha’s neck, tugging him down for a kiss. 

It was their anniversary: five years of pure bliss.

High school sweethearts, they’d seen each other at what they thought were their worsts.

They didn’t know that the worst was yet to come.

But they were happy then, the happiest they’d ever been, as Inuyasha slipped an engagement ring over Kagome’s finger and shared a kiss with her, one that promised forever.

“I love you so much,” she murmured as he leaned down to brush his nose with hers.

“I love you, too,” he replied. “You like the ring?”

Kagome nodded. “It’s perfect.”

“Your mom helped me pick it out,” he admitted sheepishly. Kagome laughed.

“You two did a great job,” she comforted. “I love it.” 

Inuyasha gently pushed her back on the blanket they’d laid out in his parents’ backyard. They were covered by the low-hanging branches of an old tree and only illuminated by the light of the stars, so Inuyasha didn’t hesitate to kiss her.

Kagome tangled her fingers in his hair, reciprocating every smooth slide of his lips against hers.

“Fiance,” she murmured against his mouth. “I like how that sounds.”

“Me, too,” he replied softly.

Kagome smiled against his lips.

o.O.o

Their families were waiting for them when they finally re-entered the house; Kagome subtly smoothed her hair down as she was hugged and congratulated.

“Congratulations!” Izayoi, her future-mother-in-law chirped, giving Kagome a tight squeeze.

“Thanks,” Kagome replied, smiling and hugging her back. She hugged Inuyasha’s father, Toga, as well as gave a rather awkward side-hug to Inuyasha’s brother.

Kagome’s parents hugged her close, smushing her between them as they whispered how happy they were for her, how proud they were of her, and how much they loved her.

Her father smiled. “Inuyasha was so nervous when he asked for our blessing. It was almost like he thought we’d say no, as if that were even a possibility.”

Kagome laughed. “He’s something else.”

Later that night, Inuyasha wrapped his arm around Kagome’s waist and whispered, “Ice-cream?” Kagome nodded, agreeing to their usual celebratory custom.

Once they got in Inuyasha’s car, with him in the driver’s side and Kagome in the passenger’s, Inuyasha cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her gently.

“I love you,” he murmured.

“I love you, too,” she replied softly.

He placed a final kiss on her lips before they drove off.

Once they’d gotten their ice-cream, they sat in Inuyasha’s car and ate.

“So…” Inuyasha began. “As far as finding a house…”

Kagome looked at him, taking a quick lick of her chocolate cone. They were both still living with their parents while they were finishing up university. At twenty-years-old, they were only two years away from their degrees.

“Yeah?” Kagome asked. Inuyasha glanced at her.

“Do you want to go somewhere else?” he asked. “Maybe...leave this town?” 

Kagome paused. “And go where?”

Inuyasha shrugged. “I don’t know. A city maybe? A place that’s bustling, not as quiet, more to do, that kind of thing.” Kagome hummed.

“Well, there’s a city about an hour away,” she replied. “Is that what you’re talking about?”

Inuyasha took the final bite of his sundae before turning to face Kagome.

“I kind of mean farther,” he admitted. “A few hours, at least. I just...I want to get out of town. I want to live a little. I want _us_ to live a little. Maybe...if we have kids, we could come back here if you wanted to do that.” 

Kagome bit her lip. _This is kind of coming from out of nowhere._

“What brought this on, baby?” she asked. “Are you okay?”

Inuyasha shrugged. “I’m fine. I just thought it might be a nice change of pace, but if you don’t want to, we won’t. I want to do whatever makes you happy.”

 _Seeing Inuyasha happy would make me happy,_ Kagome mused. _And a city life might be pretty fun…_

“Okay,” she finally replied. “Let’s do it.”

Inuyasha’s eyes brightened. “Really? Are you sure?”

Kagome smiled. “Yes. Let’s live a little, right?”

Inuyasha grinned and leaned forward to kiss her, the sweetness of their ice-creams blending between them. 

“I can’t wait, sweetheart,” he murmured when they pulled away. “I can’t wait for this life we’re gonna have.”

“I feel the same,” Kagome replied. “Would you be willing to wait until after college? We could get married after graduation and find jobs in whatever city you want to go to.”

“That’s perfect,” Inuyasha said. “It’s gonna be _perfect,_ baby. I can’t wait.”

They spent the rest of the night talking and planning their future, and Kagome found herself giddier than she’d ever been.

When Inuyasha dropped her off at her house later on, Kagome kissed him goodbye and asked him to text her when he got home. With a final wave, she went into her house.

She smiled as she quietly went upstairs. It was late, so she knew her family was probably all asleep.

Once she’d gotten ready for bed and was laying down under the covers, she closed her eyes and smiled.

Everything was going to be perfect.

* * *

**Part III: Sleep on the Floor**

Two years after Inuyasha proposed, a week after their college graduation, and a month before their wedding, Kagome’s father got sick.

Inuyasha was at her side when he passed, and she cried into his shirt.

The funeral was like any other funeral she’d been to. People cried, people wore black, people brought casseroles, and people hugged her tightly and whispered condolences.

She hated it.

She hated the black dress she was wearing and the black kitten heels on her feet. She hated that she was wearing waterproof mascara to keep it from smudging while she cried buckets of tears during the funeral.

She hated...everything.

She hated the town, but now that it was just her mom and brother left at her house...was it a smart idea to still move to the city with Inuyasha? They hadn’t found a place yet, nor had they found jobs, so focused were they on just finishing their degrees.

So...she wouldn’t be losing anything by staying.

Except for Inuyasha’s dream and their never-ending plans for their future in the city.

She was hiding in her bedroom, sprawled out on her bed, to take a breather from all the talk of grief, her thoughts racing, when someone knocked on her door.

“Come in,” she called. Inuyasha slowly opened the door and entered, concern in his eyes as he took her in.

“You alright, baby?” he asked gently. Kagome nodded and sat up.

“Yeah, I just...needed a minute. This is a lot.”

“I understand,” Inuyasha replied as he came to sit on the bed next to her. He took her hand and squeezed it. “I really do.”

Of course he did. His mother had died a year earlier.

But he never mentioned wanting to stay home with his father instead of moving to the city like they’d planned. Kagome’s trail of thought was vastly different from his; Sesshomaru still lived in the town, so he often spent evenings with their father and Inuyasha whenever he wasn’t with Kagome, having dinner with them or watching whatever show on Netflix.

But Kagome’s brother would be heading to college in the fall, and without her father in the house, Kagome’s mother would be alone.

_I can’t do that to her…_

“Sweetheart,” Kagome began, “I’ve been thinking...maybe it’s not such a good idea to move to the city.”

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment. “Are you...changing your mind?”

Kagome looked up at him with tears in her eyes. 

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I just...I don’t want to leave my mom here alone. Sota is going to college soon and she’ll be alone without...without my dad.”

She dissolved into sobs and allowed Inuyasha to pull her against him. He rubbed her back as she cried for what felt like the hundredth time that day. 

“Kagome,” he murmured, “if you don’t leave this town now, I don’t think you’ll ever make it out.”

Kagome sniffled at his words. He was right. If she didn’t leave, how long would she stay?

“You mean leave _now?”_ she asked. Inuyasha was quiet for a moment.

“I...yeah,” he replied. “Why not now?” Kagome looked up at him.

They looked at each other silently, and Inuyasha’s eyes filled with something akin to hope.

And her world shifted.

“Okay,” Kagome conceded. “Let’s leave now.”

“You should leave a note for your mom,” he said as he stood up. “We both need to get out of here.”

Kagome got up and grabbed a notepad from her desk, scribbling a note for her mom and leaving it on her bed.

“Let me pack some things,” she said as she grabbed a duffel bag. She didn’t take much; she just grabbed a few articles of clothing, deodorant, some shoes, and her phone charger. 

“Do you want to go home and get some of your things?” she asked as Inuyasha followed her into the bathroom so she could get her toothbrush.

“I’ll be fine,” he replied. “We can stop at Walmart and I’ll get a few things. I don’t think we’ll need much.”

Kagome looked at him. “Are we really doing this?”

Inuyasha pulled her into a hug. “Do you want to?”

Kagome nodded. “I think I _need_ to.”

Inuyasha kissed her, quickly, fiercely, before taking her hand and sneakily leading them out of the house. They ran to her car and got in; Kagome pulled out of the driveway and drove off.

And they embarked on their new life.

They made a quick stop at Walmart as Inuyasha had requested, picking up some toiletries and a few snacks for the road.

When they got back in the car, Kagome paused after Inuyasha started the engine.

“Let’s just drive,” she said. “Let’s go wherever we want. We can take our savings out of a bank tomorrow and just...find a highway and take it as far as it’ll go.”

Inuyasha looked at her and smiled. “Let’s go.”

They drove long into the night.

They ignored all calls from their family members. Kagome felt several pangs of guilt at each screen call and dozens of texts they both received.

She silenced their phones. Not hearing the ringtones and text alerts helped a little, at least.

They rolled all the windows down as they drove through town after town, and Inuyasha stuck to back roads until it got too dark. He eventually switched to the highway, and the pick-up in speed had them rolling their windows up to avoid the loud helicopter noise.

“So where should we stop for the night?” Kagome asked as she pulled up the GPS on her phone. 

“You don’t wanna sleep in the car?” Inuyasha teased. Kagome smiled at him.

He glanced at her and smiled back before turning his attention back to the road in front of them.

Kagome moved her hand to the back of his neck, gently rubbing it and running her fingers just down the neckline of his shirt.

“Let me know if you want me to drive,” she said. “I don’t want you to tire yourself out.”

“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” he replied, leaning back into her touch, “and I’ll be just fine.” Kagome laughed.

An hour later, they decided to stop at the nearest hotel.

They’d been driving for about six hours straight, so as soon as they got out, Kagome nearly kissed the ground.

“There’s a twenty-four-hour diner across the street,” Inuyasha said. “Do you want to get dinner there after we check into the hotel?” Kagome nodded, her stomach growling right on cue. 

They’d blown through the chips they’d bought at the store, so she was starting to get pretty hungry.

The hotel wasn’t great, but it was cheap and would do for the night.

After they ate at the diner, they came back to the hotel and got ready for bed. When they were laying down, Inuyasha pulled Kagome against him, her back to his chest, and wrapped his arm around her.

“You okay, baby?” he asked softly.

Kagome nodded and turned her head to the side to catch his eye.

“Yes,” she replied. “I feel okay now, but even if I’m not really...I think I will be.”

Inuyasha kissed her once before pulling her tighter against him.

They fell into a peaceful sleep.

o.O.o

They spent the next few weeks driving across the country.

They stopped in random towns, went to random open mic nights at coffee shops, and bought cheap lottery tickets in hopes of winning some extra cash.

The most they’d won was fifty dollars, but that paid for almost one night at a hotel, so she didn’t complain.

Kagome even got her first tattoo, a small one that simply said “drive” in cursive letters, in honor of their newfound life together.

Then they met another couple.

Miroku and Sango were kind and welcoming. They met at a live music show at a coffee shop in a town about eighteen hours away from Kagome and Inuyasha’s town.

She still hadn’t talked to her mom, and they’d been gone for a while.

 _Tomorrow,_ she promised herself.

But she knew she wouldn’t.

Inuyasha and Kagome hit it off with Miroku and Sango right away. The vibe was good between them, so when the other couple offered for them to stay the night at their house, Inuyasha and Kagome accepted the invitation.

“We don’t have a guest room, though,” Sango said once Inuyasha and Kagome met them at their house. “I’m so sorry.”

Kagome smiled and waved off her concern. “We don't mind a couch.”

The two couples talked long into the night. Around four in the morning, Miroku and Sango went to bed, joking that they’d regret staying up so late when they got up for work in the morning.

Kagome offered to cook breakfast for them, to which they somewhat reluctantly agreed given that Kagome refused to take no for an answer.

“Please let us,” she’d said. “You’re being so welcoming. It’s the least we can do.”

After Miroku and Sango retired to their room, Inuyasha and Kagome went to lay on the couch.

It was...small. 

They’d spent most of the time on the back porch, drinking beer and telling stories about their lives.

So this was the first they’d seen of the couch.

“Let’s just sleep on the floor,” Kagome said. Inuyasha shrugged. “Why not?”

They grabbed the blankets Miroku and Sango had given them and laid them out, piling up the pillows and laying down.

Kagome rolled over to face Inuyasha, and he did the same.

They were quiet as they looked at each other, and then Inuyasha broke the silence.

“Our wedding date is coming up,” he said. “Should we go home for it?”

Kagome shook her head. “I’m not ready to go home.”

“So...courthouse?”

o.O.o

They got married a few days later, on their initial wedding date.

They splurged a bit and stayed in a nicer hotel, kicking off their “honeymoon on-the-go” as they’d deemed it.

Somehow along the way, life had gotten good.

 _Really_ good.

But the longer they spent away from home, the guiltier Kagome became.

It had been about a month since they’d left, and they still hadn’t contacted any of their family members.

So two days after they got married, Kagome finally called her mom.

“Kagome, where have you been?” her mother asked hysterically when she answered the phone. “We all thought you and Inuyasha were _dead!”_

“I’m so sorry, Mom,” Kagome replied. “We just...we needed to get out of town.”

She heard her mother sob. “Kagome, I just lost your father. I thought I lost you, too. What on earth were you _thinking?”_

Kagome fell into silence.

_I was thinking...selfishly._

She looked at Inuyasha where he was sitting on the hotel bed next to her. He had a grimace on his face; Kagome figured he could hear her mother’s upset even with the phone only to Kagome’s ear.

“Mom, I’m sorry,” Kagome pleaded. “I really am. I just--”

“Kagome,” her mother said. “You know I love you, but...I can’t believe you would do this to us. The same goes for Inuyasha. It was selfish. I’m so, so relieved that you’re okay, but this hurt us. You both hurt us all.”

Kagome felt tears in her eyes.

“Mom, please, I’m sorry…”

“I have to go,” her mother interrupted. “I need to tell everyone that you and Inuyasha aren’t dead.” She sniffled. “Oh, Kagome. I can’t believe what you two have done.”

Then the line went dead.

Kagome dropped the phone on the bed next to her.

She looked up at Inuyasha, tears falling down her cheeks.

“This was a mistake,” she said flatly. “We shouldn't have left. We should’ve stayed... _I_ should have stayed.”

“Would you have ever been truly happy, though?”

Kagome’s eyes widened.

She didn’t have an answer.

And her world shifted again.

She was back in her bedroom on the day of her father’s funeral, with Inuyasha’s eyes still glued to her, waiting for her answer.

The what-if of leaving right then faded from her mind as she was once again face-to-face with a decision that would change her life.

“I...no. _No,_ Inuyasha. You _idiot!_ How could you think I would want to do something so stupid and selfish!” 

Inuyasha’s eyes widened. “You don’t need to fly off the handle, Kagome. Seriously.”

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Everything is different now, Inuyasha. My dad is dead!”

“So is my mom!” he shot back. “You think you’re the only one who knows grief? Well, it sounds like _you’re_ the idiot here!”

Kagome gasped. “Inuyasha…”

“No,” he interrupted. “I’m not gonna sit here and have you call me selfish. You know, maybe I actually _am_ selfish. I need to get the hell out of this town, Kagome. I _hate_ it here. There are too many memories, too much pain, too much…”

He drifted off, dropping his head into his hands.

“I’m staying here,” Kagome said, her voice shaky. “I’m not leaving my mom.” She took a deep breath. “Are _you_ leaving?”

Inuyasha stared at her. “Kagome, we have plans.”

“Plans change,” she retorted. “Things change. _People_ change.”

“People change enough to ruin dreams we’ve had for _two_ years?” he shot back.

“The only way I can go on is if I’m here!” Kagome shouted. “With or without you!”

She was shocked to see the shine of unshed tears in Inuyasha’s eyes.

“Without me, huh?” he repeated. “Really?”

“Really,” Kagome replied without hesitation. “So now what? Are you gonna leave me or are you gonna stay with me?”

He was quiet for a moment.

A moment _too long._

Kagome yanked off her engagement ring and shoved it in his shirt pocket.

“Goodbye, then,” she said curtly. “Get out of my house.”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened. “Kagome, don’t--”

_“Get out!”_

She saw a tear fall down his cheek as he stormed out of her room and slammed the door behind him.

She didn’t see him again before he moved out of the town.

* * *

**Part IV: Angela**

Kagome lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to get comfortable. Hoping that using the bathroom might help, she got out of bed and padded into the bathroom.

It was rather tough to keep her balance as she lowered herself down to the toilet, a hand resting on her baby bump as she did so.

When she finished, she didn’t feel much better, so she just sighed and washed her hands.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, hating how old she looked.

She was only thirty-five, but she felt like she’d lived a hundred lifetimes.

Her eyes caught on the small tattoo on her arm, the one that she’d gotten after the daydream she’d had about what life could be like if she and Inuyasha had just left on the day of her father’s funeral thirteen years earlier.

It was a taste of what could have been if she’d just…

She sighed and opened the bathroom door, turning off the light and making her way back to bed.

Kagome sat down on the edge, glancing at her husband who was still sleeping on his side of the bed.

A kind man, she’d met him three years earlier, shortly after he’d moved to the small town. They’d met at the only coffee shop in town, and there was a kindness in him, and an anonymity in Kagome herself, that she’d craved.

So she agreed to a date, ten years after her engagement to Inuyasha ended, ten years after he left town without looking back.

She hadn’t spoken to him since that last day in her room.

Kagome snapped her thoughts away from Inuyasha, focusing on the baby currently situating itself right against her ribs.

She took a deep breath and patted her bump, hoping to soothe the restless little one inside her.

She got up again, chilly, and grabbed a cardigan.

She glanced back at her sleeping husband and wondered what would happen if she just...left.

She wasn’t happy. She was...not miserable, but her husband never lit the fire in her like Inuyasha had. 

But he was kind and thoughtful and sweet and...her husband. He was her _husband,_ and she was devoted to him, but…

She wasn’t happy.

She went back to bed and lay down, but a part of her…

...crept out the front door in just her nightgown, cardigan, and slippers. She started her car and drove off, getting on the highway immediately and rolling all the windows down.

She took a deep breath as she went as fast as she dared, wondering what life would have been like thirteen years after she’d run away with Inuyasha.

Would they have returned to the town? Would they have kids of their own? They’d always talked about it.

Kagome would like to think they would have been able to make amends, but the possibility of that not being possible kept her from dwelling on it for too long. 

She thought back to when she’d gotten engaged to her husband. He didn’t know much about Inuyasha, just that she’d been engaged when she was in her early twenties. She kept it that way, not wanting to relive any of the time she’d spent with Inuyasha.

Maybe it was a mistake, but Kagome had made _so many_ mistakes that they all ran together.

Her mother always seemed uneasy and uncertain about Kagome’s relationship with her husband, but she’d given her blessing when he’d asked for it.

By the time he’d proposed, Kagome had been with him for a year, so...she’d gone for it.

They got married a year later, and Kagome became pregnant a few months afterward, and she was excited to become a mother.

She loved her husband. She really did, and she was ready for the journey on which she was about to embark as a first-time parent.

But she wasn’t happy. She was happy about the baby, but the marriage...

She loved her husband, but she wasn’t _in_ love with him. She wasn’t sure if she ever had been, which was...so _unfair_ to him, but Kagome had so much damage, so much backlash from every bad decision she’d made and every regret she still clung to…

So for now, as she drove down the highway, she pushed all thoughts of her husband away from her mind and just focused on the road.

She stopped at a hotel after an hour and checked in, uncertain of why she desired it.

But she knew.

She wanted to leave her husband.

As she walked into the hotel room and saw the empty bed, she felt relief rush through her.

She made a decision.

She would call a lawyer the next day and have the divorce papers drawn up. Her husband would be surprised and she worried about hurting him, but…

She wasn’t happy. 

She slept only about two hours at the hotel before waking up. She checked out and left the room key and her wedding rings on the side table by the bed, intent on leaving the past behind.

She walked to her car, looking up at the rising sun, and smiled.

She would be free.

But then her eyes opened again, and she was back in her bed, her hand still on her baby bump and her husband asleep beside her.

A what-if. It had been another what-if, just as her running off with Inuyasha when she was twenty-two had been.

So she didn’t have divorce papers drawn up the next day.

Instead, she got up and made breakfast for herself and her husband.

* * *

**Part V: Patience**

Kagome waited outside the airport again for the last time that day. The first was to pick up Daiki, and now she was picking up her son.

Shinobuko was now twenty-one and attending university abroad. Kagome was immensely proud of Shino, and she knew his father was, too.

Kagome got out of her car and hugged Shino tightly, recognizing his scent as the cologne she’d gotten him for his birthday.

They spent the day together, eating fast food for dinner and driving out to stargaze for a bit.

Around eleven that night, Kagome knew it was probably time for her to drop him off at his dad’s house.

She would get to be with Shino for the entirety of the next day, but his father wouldn’t.

When Kagome dropped him off, she rolled her window down and called her goodbyes.

Shino’s father gave her a half-smile and waved.

Kagome waved to her ex-husband and drove off.

It had been ten years since the divorce.

And Kagome was a lot happier.

She was lucky that her ex-husband was such a kind man; they’d managed to co-parent successfully over the years, and he was always waiting outside for Shino so he could wave to Kagome when she dropped him.

Kagome smiled as she drove back to her house.

The porch light was on, no doubt left that way for her, and Kagome appreciated the small gesture.

He still knew how to take care of her, even after over thirty years.

When Inuyasha had returned to town for his father’s funeral two years prior for the first time since leaving when the engagement ended, Kagome was his Uber driver from the airport.

Inuyasha got in the backseat without really glancing at her, greeting who he thought was just an Uber driver with a strange name, until he looked up and locked eyes with her in the rearview mirror.

Stupidly, she’d thought it had been a coincidence when _Inuyasha_ had shown up on her Uber app with a request for a ride. She’d never dreamed her Inuyasha would return.

Well, not _her_ Inuyasha anymore.

“Kagome?” he’d said. 

“Inuyasha?” she’d replied.

“What...why did it say ‘Cleopatra’ would be picking me up?”

Kagome grimaced. “That’s my Uber name. It’s just...for fun.”

“Yeah,” he replied flatly. “Fun.”

Kagome looked away from him and pulled into the road, driving toward the destination.

She knew where it was; she was set to head over there later that day.

Inuyasha’s father’s funeral was that day, but Kagome didn’t know Inuyasha would be flying out for it. He hadn’t flown out for Sesshomaru’s wedding to his wife, Kagura, but that was much different than a death, she supposed.

Regardless, Inuyasha was there, he was in her backseat, and he looked...older.

She knew she did, too; she was fifty-four, after all, but he somehow didn’t look any different.

She wondered if she thought the same of her.

“So...how’s your son?” Inuyasha asked. 

“He’s fine,” she replied. “Thanks for asking.” Inuyasha nodded. 

“Great.”

They fell into silence as they drove to Inuyasha’s house.

“Are you packing stuff up?” she asked when she parked in front of the house. Inuyasha shrugged.

“Yeah,” he replied. “Sesshomaru is busy doing funeral home stuff and his son wasn’t able to fly in to help with anything, so…”

“Do you...want some help?” Kagome offered.

Inuyasha looked up and met her gaze in the rearview mirror.

“It’s probably a bad idea,” he said. “But why not?”

They spent the afternoon going through the things in the house, deciding what could be thrown away or what could be donated. They left briefly for the funeral before returning to the house to keep working.

Inuyasha was silent as they worked, only speaking to instruct her where to put each item.

But then they started packing up Inuyasha’s room.

Kagome found old things from when they were dating, and it led to them sitting on the bed looking through photo albums and school pictures and...they stumbled upon Kagome’s engagement ring.

“I almost forgot how beautiful it was,” she murmured. 

“Yeah,” Inuyasha replied, his voice just as soft.

He sighed. “Kagome, I’m sorry. This apology is thirty years late, but…”

“No, I’m sorry,” Kagome replied. “I blew up at you that day. I should’ve...I should’ve called or _something,_ but I didn’t.”

Their eyes locked, and a thousand memories exploded between them.

That’s when Kagome realized how much she missed him.

How much...how much she still loved him.

Even though he left her.

That pain...she’d never be able to get over it.

It moved her to tears. 

She cried quietly, and for the first time in decades, Inuyasha pulled her into his arms and held her.

They talked all night.

When he went back to where he lived, he called Kagome after a week, and it soon turned to them talking on the phone every night.

And when he asked if he could come visit her again, she agreed.

It wasn’t hard for them to accept that the love they’d had so long ago had never really faded.

It was easy to fall back into each other, and fall back they did.

Kagome smiled at the memories and unlocked the front door. Her old engagement ring glinted in the porch light, a welcome reminder of what was to come the next day.

Inuyasha was in the living room waiting for her when she walked in.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he greeted as he stood up to kiss her.

“Hi,” she replied, hugging him tightly. “You’ll never guess who I had in my Uber today.”

Inuyasha laughed. “I can imagine. He mentioned a kind Uber driver named ‘Cleopatra’ drove him to his hotel today.”

Kagome smiled. “It seems to throw all of you off, huh?”

Inuyasha kissed her a final time before they went upstairs to get ready for bed.

The next day, Kagome got to see Daiki again, and he was more than surprised that “Cleopatra” was actually the woman his uncle would be marrying.

He was Sesshomaru’s only son, and he’d never met Kagome in person before. It was certainly amusing to see the surprise on his face when they officially met.

The wedding was small and beautiful, even better than Kagome could have imagined.

As she and Inuyasha got in the car, intent on taking the road trip they’d dreamed of over thirty years earlier, she smiled at him.

“You were worth the wait,” she said.

Inuyasha glanced at her and smiled back.

And their world shifted.

FIN.


End file.
